Managing the neo-bureaucratic organisation: lessons from the UK's prosaic sector

Abstract

This article evaluates the extent to which ‘post-bureaucratic’ organisational forms have been introduced to the UK organisations, the implications for human resource management (HRM) policies and practices in the sector and, finally, for middle managers in these organisations. The study draws from interview data at 42 organisations from the UK's ‘prosaic’ sector, including both private and public sectors, manufacturing and services, and ‘old tech’ and ‘new tech’. It further draws from interviews with middle managers in those organisations. It concludes that certain structural changes have been made, but that older functional lines of authority still exist and that post-bureaucratic claims are misleading. However, a harsher working environment has arisen for managers in these organisations, with longer hours and a more complex working environment. Older certainties such as job security, a safe career path and seniority-based pay have all been eroded.

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